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June 1829

Daguerreotype of Oliver Cowdery, James Presley Ball, circa 1840–1850. Wikimedia. Public domain.

The “Articles of the Church of Christ” were recorded by Oliver Cowdery in June 1829 and were considered a revelation by the early Latter-day Saints.[1] Although not a Joseph Smith revelation per se, there are a few reasons why this important text is included in the appendix to this volume. First, the revelation was recorded in Revelation Book 1, the earliest collection of the Prophet’s revelatory record, indicating at a minimum that Joseph Smith considered this text as appropriately belonging in this repository.[2] Second, this revelation was received by Oliver in response to an earlier revelation from the Prophet that admonished him to “rely upon the things that are written”—almost assuredly the Book of Mormon—in order to “build up [the] Church” (Doctrine and Covenants 18:3–4).[3] Third, the revelation relies upon the teachings of the Book of Mormon and other modern revelations as revealed through the Prophet.[4]

These articles were revealed to guide new believers of the Prophet’s message in 1829, even before the creation of the Church.[5] Heeding earlier revelatory admonition, Oliver relied on the Book of Mormon and earlier revelations that Joseph had received to craft the “Articles.”[6] About two-thirds of the content of the “Articles” comes verbatim from the Book of Mormon and the aforementioned revelation given to instruct Oliver, and it appears to be an early effort at compiling an administrative guide for the early Church.[7] Consequently, the content of the revelation contains instructions on how to perform baptisms and ordinations, the way to conduct the ordinance of the sacrament, and the importance of centering their faith on Jesus Christ. The revelation is also unique because it asserts Oliver’s authority to deliver this revelation due to his status as an apostle. However, a year later, the Lord revealed that from then on, Joseph Smith was his mouthpiece and that revelation for the Church would come through him (Doctrine and Covenants 28:1–7).[8]

When the Church was established a year later, the Prophet received a revelation known as the “Articles and Covenants,” now canonized as section 20 of the Doctrine and Covenants.[9] The “Articles and Covenants” revealed to Joseph Smith superseded those received by Oliver Cowdery and so became the guide for the new faith. This, however, does not dramatically diminish the importance of Oliver’s earlier version, upon which section 20 is to an appreciable degree dependent.

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A commandment from God unto Oliver Cowdery—how he should build up his Church, and the manner thereof. Saying—Oliver, listen to the voice of Christ your Lord, your God, and your Redeemer; and write the words which I shall command you concerning my church, my gospel, my rock, and my salvation. Behold, the world is ripening in iniquity, and it must needs be that the children of men are stirred up unto repentance, both the Gentiles and also the house of Israel. For behold, I command all men everywhere to repent, and I speak unto you even as unto Paul mine apostle. For ye are called even with that same calling with which he was called.

Now, therefore, whosoever repenteth and humbleth himself before me, and desireth to be baptized in my name shall ye baptize them. And after this manner did he command me, that I should baptize them. Behold, ye shall go down and stand in the water; and in my name shall ye baptize them. And now, behold, these are the words which ye shall say, calling them by name, saying: having authority given me of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. And then shall ye immerse them in the water, and come forth again out of the water; and after this manner shall ye baptize in my name. For behold, verily, I say unto you, that the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one, and I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one. And ye are also called to ordain priests and teachers according to the gifts and callings of God unto men.

And after this manner shall ye ordain them—ye shall pray unto the Father in my name, and then shall ye lay your hands upon them and say: in the name of Jesus Christ, I ordain you to be a priest (or if he be a teacher, I ordain you to be a teacher) to preach repentance and remission of sins through Jesus Christ by the endurance of faith on his name to the end. Amen. And this shall be the duty of the priest. He shall kneel down, and the members of the church shall kneel also, which church shall be called the Church of Christ. And he shall pray to the Father in my name for the church. And if it so be that it be built upon my rock, I will bless it. And after that ye have prayed to the Father in my name, ye shall preach the truth in soberness; casting out none from among you, but rather invite them to come.

And the church shall oft partake of bread and wine. And after this manner shall ye partake of it: the elder or priest shall minister it. And after this manner shall he do: he shall kneel with the church and pray to the Father in the name of Christ. Then shall ye say: O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread, to the souls of all those who partake of it; that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he hath given them, that they may always have his spirit to be with them. Amen. And then shall ye take the cup and say: O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this wine, to the souls of all those who drink of it; that they may do in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them, that they may witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always remember him, that they may have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.

And now, behold, I give unto you a commandment, that ye shall not suffer anyone knowingly to partake of my flesh and blood unworthily when ye shall minister it; for whoso eateth and drinketh my flesh and blood unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to his soul. Therefore, if ye know that a man is unworthy to eat and drink of my flesh and blood, ye shall forbid him; nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out from among you, but ye shall minister unto him and shall pray for him unto the Father in my name. And if it so be that he repenteth and is baptized in my name, then shall ye receive him and shall minister unto him of my flesh and blood. But if he repenteth not, he shall not be numbered among my people, that he may not destroy my people. For behold, I know my sheep, and they are numbered; nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out of your synagogues, or your places of worship; for unto such shall ye continue to minister, for ye know not but what they will return, and repent, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them. And ye shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them. Therefore, keep these sayings which I have commanded you that ye come not under condemnation; for woe unto him whom the Father condemneth.

And the church shall meet together oft for prayer and supplication, casting out none from your places of worship, but rather invite them to come. And each member shall speak and tell the church of their progress in the way to eternal life. And there shall be no pride, nor envying, nor strifes, nor malice, nor idolatry, nor witchcrafts, nor whoredoms, nor fornications, nor covetiousness, nor lying, nor deceits, nor any manner of iniquity. And if anyone is guilty of any or the least of these, and doth not repent and shew fruits meet for repentance, they shall not be numbered among my people, that they may not destroy my people.

And now I speak unto the church: repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, which is Jesus Christ, and endure to the end, and ye shall be saved. Behold, Jesus Christ is the name which is given of the Father, and there is none other name given whereby man can be saved. Therefore, all men must take upon them the name which is given of the Father; for in that name shall they be called at the last day. Therefore, if they know not the name by which they are called, they cannot have place in the kingdom of my Father. Behold, ye must walk uprightly before me, and sin not; and if ye do walk uprightly before me, and sin not, my grace is sufficient for you, that ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. I am the same which came unto my own, and my own received me not. I am the light which shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not. These words are not of men nor of man, but of me. Now remember the words of him who is the first and the last—the light and the life of the world. And I, Jesus Christ, your Lord and your God, and your Redeemer by the power of my Spirit, hath spoken it. Amen. And now, if I have not authority to write these things, judge ye. Behold, ye shall know that I have authority when you and I shall be brought to stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

Now may the grace of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ be and abide with you all, and finally save you eternally in his kingdom, through the infinite atonement which is in Jesus Christ. Amen. Behold, I am Oliver. I am an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Behold, I have written the things which he hath commanded me. For behold, his word was unto me as a burning fire shut up in my bones; and I was weary with forbearing, and I could forbear no longer. Amen.

Written in the year of our Lord and Savior 1829. A true copy of the articles of the Church of Christ.

Notes

[1] Following the Book of Mormon in 3 Nephi 26:21, the Church was initially referred to as the “the Church of Christ.” See “Name of the Church,” Church History Topic, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/history/topics/name-of-the-church.

[2] JSP, MRB:17–20; JSP, D1:368–74.

[3] JSP, D1:70–71.

[4] See John W. Welch, “The Book of Mormon as the Keystone of Church Administration,” in A Firm Foundation: Church Organization and Administration, ed. David J. Whittaker and Arnold K. Garr (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2011), 15–57.

[5] JSP, D1:368–70.

[6] Scott H. Faulring, “An Examination of the 1829 ‘Articles of the Church of Christ’ in Relation to Section 20 of the Doctrine and Covenants,” BYU Studies 43, no. 4 (2004): 74.

[7] Welch, “The Book of Mormon as the Keystone of Church Administration.”

[8] See also Faulring, “An Examination,” 62–65.

[9] JSP, MRB:60–68; JSP, D1:116–26.